Freezing tray for refrigerators



Oct. 18, 1938.- G. s. HILL FREEZING. TRAY FOR REFRI GERATORS l nventor:

' Filed June 16, 1937 w w m S o e m aA .e .s e H 9 b Patented Oct. 1938A A I I i i UNITED STATES AT N FFIC FREE I G RAY FOR. aarmdaim ronsGeorge S. Hill, Erie, Pa., assignor to General' Electric Company, acorporation of New -Stork n Application June is, msasenai No. 148,476

. 3 Claims. (Cl.-62--'108.5)

My invention relates to trays for containing tents thereof into aplurality of relatively small substances to be frozen or congealed andadapted compartments in which the substance to be conto be supportedupon cooling units of refrigera- 'gealed is frozen in the form ofblocks. The tray tors of the household type. I is formed of a materialhaving relatively high While the substance contained in the tray is heatconductivity, such as aluminum, andisposibeing congealed, a frozen bondis usually formed tioned upon the supporting surface l3a of acoolbetween the bottom of the tray and the supporting unit l3 arrangedin a mechanical refrigerator ing surface of the cooling unit. In orderto reof the household type, as shown in Fig. 2. As the move the tray andits contents from .the cooling bottom of the tray I0 is substantiallyflat and in unit this frozen bond must be broken, and care directcontact with the supporting surface Ila. of must be exercised in orderto prevent damaging the cooling unit 13, a good heat conducting path ofthe cooling unit. is formed therebetween and the substance con- It is anobject of my invention to provide an tained in the freezing tray isreadily frozen. improved arrangement for breaking a frozen bond Abracket [4 formed of .material having rela- 5 between a tray adapted tocontain asubst'ance to tively high heat conductivity is welded to 'thebe congealed and a cooling unit upon which the outer end of the'tray IIIas indicated at I! in tray is supported. order to providea. good heatconducting path Another object of my invention is to provide antherebetween. A vertical cylindrical recess I6 is improved arrangementfor lifting a tray adapted formed in the bracket l4 and an expansible tocontain a substance to be congealed'from a member i1 is arranged in therecess l6 and excooling element upon which the tray is supported tends.into operative relationship with the supin order to break the frozenbond therebetween porting surface I311 of the cooling unit l3. Thesubsequent to congelation of the substance conexpansible member I!constitutes a cartridge and tained in the tray. contains a body offreezing solution 18 therein. '35 Further objects and advantages of myinvention The expansible member I1 is snugly received in a will becomeapparent as the following description surrounding sleeve i9 interposedbetween the exproceeds, and the features of novelty which'charpansiblemember I! and the recess IS. The sleeve acterize my invention willbepointed out with I9 is provided with an open lower end 20 throughvparticularity in the claims annexed to and formwhich the expansiblemember may be inserted ing a part of this specification. J and acylindrical side wall which is threaded 30 For a better understanding ofmy invention adjacent the open end 20, as indicated at 2L reference maybe had to the accompanying draw- The threaded portion H of thecylindrical side ing in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of afreezwall of the sleeve l9 engages a similar internally ing trayembodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an threaded portion 22 of the bracketl4 adjacent end elevation, partly in section, of the freezing the lowerportion of the recess IS. The threaded tray shownin Fig. 1 and'.thecooling unitupon engagement between the sleeve is and the bracket whichthe tray is supported; Fig. 3 is a fragmen- It provides for adjustmentof the expansible tary sectional view along the line '3-3 of Fig. 2member i1 and the surrounding sleeve I8 within of the tray; Fig. 4 is afragmentary "perspective the recess IS with respect to the supportingsurm viewof a modified form of the freezing tray shown face i3aof thecooling unit l3. Also, a set screw in Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is an enlarged endelevational '28- is provided in the side of the bracket I! in view,partly in section, of the freezing tray shown order to lock the sleevel8 and expansible memin Fig. 4 and the cooling unit upon which the trayber I1 carried thereby in any desired adjusted is supported; and Fig. 6is a fragmentary secposition.

tional view of the freezing tray along the line 8-4 The curved rim ll ofthe tray I 0 is provided of Fig. 5. I I with a projection 24 whichextends over the upper Referring to the drawing, in Fig. 1 I have end ofthe bracket-lliand the expansible member shown a shallow rectangulartray or receptacle I'I carried thereby to give the il a finished inhaving a substantially flat bottom and a curved appearance. ;.'Iheouterend of the bracket I4 is 60 rim -ll about the upper openend-thereof which provided with oppositelydispcsed flan 5 which isadapted to contain substances such as water or constitute a handle andfacilitate sliding of the desserts to be frozen. -A partition'assemblyi2 tray III with respect .to the supporting surface ifa including alongitudinal partition element and-a of the cooling unit l3. Thevexpansible member plurality of transverse partition elements is ari1 isformed of elastic material, such as rubber,

ranged in the tray Iii in order to divide-the conhaving-relatively lowheat conductivity, and a cap 55 26 formed of similar material is carriedby the lower end of the expansible member H. in engagement with thesupporting surface [3a of the cooling element l3.

A substance to be congealed or frozen is placed in the tray l and thetray is positioned on the supporting surface I3a of the cooling unit l3.Heat in the substance contained in the tray Ill flows through the bottomwall thereof into the cooling element l3, causing the substance to becongealed after a time interval. While the substance contained in thetray I0 is being congealed, moisture accumulates between the bottom ofthe tray and the supporting surface l3a of the cooling unit I3 and formsa frozen bond therebetween which prevents ready removal of the tray Hifrom the cooling-unit l3. Heat in the body of freezing solutioncontained in the expansible member l1 flows through the walls of theexpansible member, the sleeve l9 and the bracket [4 into the tray l0,and flows through the lower. end Wall of the expansible member I1 andthe cap 26 into the cooling element l3 which causes the body of freezingsolution l8 .to become frozen. As the body of freezing solution I8 isconverted from a liquid to a solid state upon freezing, the volumethereof is increased which causes a force to be exerted between thesleeve l9 carried by the bracket l4 and the supporting surface l3a ofthe cooling unit l3, the elasticity of the walls of the expansiblemember l1. accommodating expansion of the body of freezing solution l8.The expansible member I! thus acts as a temperature responsive motor forlifting the outer end of the tray in with respect to the supportingsurface l3a of the cooling element l3 to break the frozen bond betweenthe bottom of the tray l0 and the supporting surface [3a of the coolingunit I3. The tray may then be readily 40' removed from the supportingsurface |3a of the cooling element 13, as the bracket l4, having theoppositely disposed flanges 25 thereon serves as a handle. The congealedsubstance contained in. the tray i0 is then removed therefrom and thebody of freezing solution l8 contained'in the expansible member I1 isthawedand converted from a solid to a liquid state. The body of freezingsolution 3 may be readily thawed by directing a stream of warm waterover the bracket I4 carried by the outer end of the tray l0. After thebody of freezing solution l8 has been converted into a liquid state thetray is again ready for use.

The engagement between the threaded portions 2| and 22 on the sleeve l9and the bracket l4 permits the expansible member I! to be readilyadjusted within the recess i6 and with respect to the supportingsurface. l3a of the cooling unit [3 in order that all of the expansionof the expansible member I! may be utilized for lifting the outer end ofthe tray ID from the supporting surface l3a of the cooling unit l3. Theheat in the substance contained in the tray l0 will readily flow throughthe bottom wall thereof into the cooling element l3 while the heat inthe body of freezing solution [8 will flow therefrominto the tray Illand the cooling element l3 only at a restricted rate as the expansiblemember l1 and the cap 26 are formed of material having relatively lowheat conductivity, such as rubber. This arrangement transfers asufficiently "limited amount of heat from the body of freezing solutionI8 to the tray l0 and to the cooling element l3,'to insure that the bodyof freezing solution l6 contained in the expansible member I? wilhbefrozen subsequent to congelation of the substance contained in the trayl0. Thus there will be substantially all of the substance contained inthe tray III has been congealed.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a modified form of my invention including ashallow rectangular tray or receptacle 30 formed of material having highheat conductivity and having a substantially flat bottom and a curvedrim 3| about the upper open end thereof, the curved rim adjacent theouter end of the tray 30 being extended and downwardly curved to providea handle 32 to facilitate removal of the tray 30 from the supportingsurface l3a of the cooling unit l3. Two inverted metal cartridges 33formed of material having relatively high heat conductivity are securedto the outer end of the tray 30 adjacent the corners thereof and areprovided with lower open ends, lntoeach of which a resilient metallicbellows 34 is sealed, as best shown in Fig. 5. Each of the cartridges 33is secured to the outer end'of the tray 30 by a layer of fused metal 35such, for example, as a layer of solderinterposed therebetween. A bodyof freezing solution 36 is contained in the cartridge 33 and themetallic bellows 34 and a layer of material 31 having relatively lowheat conductivity, such as rubber, is carried by the end of the metallicbellows 34 in engagement with the supporting surface l3a of the coolingelement l3.

The layer of fused metal 35 has relatively low heat conductivity and isof small cross section, so as to transfer a limited amount of heat fromthe body of freezing solution 36 contained in the cartridge 33 to thetray 30. The layer of material 31 has relatively low heat conductivityand transfers a limited amount of heat from the freezing solution 36contained in the cartridge 33 and the metallicbellows 34 into thecooling'unit I3. Thus, the layer of fused metal 35 and the layer ofmaterial 31 insure that the body of freezing solution 36 contained inthe cartridge 33 and the metallic bellows 34 will become frozensubsequent to congelation of the substance contained in the tray 30.When the bodies of freezing solution contained in the cartridges 33 andthe bellows 34 begin to freeze, forces will be exerted between the outerend of the tray ,30 adjacent the corners thereof and the supportingsurface I 3a of the cooling element l3 which will lift the outer endof-the freezing tray 36 from the supporting surface l3a of the coolingunit l3 to break the frozen bond between the bottom of the tray 30 andthe supporting surface No of the .cooling unit l3. The tray 30 may thenbe readily removed from the supporting surface l3a of the cooling unitl3 by the handle 32.

Thecongealed substance contained in the tray 30 may then be removed. Thebodies of freezing solution 36 contained in the cartridga 33 and thebellows 34 carried by the. outer end of Ithe-tray 30 are thawed andconverted from a solid to a liquid state rendering the tray 30 againready for use. These bodies of freezing solution may be readily thawedby directing a stream of warm water over the cartridges 33.

While I have shown .particular embodiments of y to cover allmodifications within conductivity arranged between said motor and saidsupport, and means for transferring asuiiiciently limited amount of heatfrom said motor to saidreceptacle to operate said motor'subsequent tocongelation of the substance contained in said receptacle. 7

2. In combination witha cooling unit having a support, a receptaclepositioned on said support and adapted to contain a substance to becongealed, a hollow cartridge carried by said recep- .tacle, a resilientbellows communicating with the interior of said cartridge and having alayer of material of relatively low heat conductivity arranged toseparate said cartridge from said support, means including a body offreezing solution contained-in said cartridge and said bellows forbreaking a frozen bond between said receptacle and said support, andmeans for transfe'n-ing a sufllciently limited amount of heat fromsaidbody. of freezing solution to said receptacle to operate saidresilient bellows subsequent to congelation of the substance containedin said receptacle.

3. In combination with a cooling unit having a support, a receptaclepositioned on said support and adapted to contain a substance to be conegealed, and means "including an expansible car-j tridge carried by saidreceptacle and containing a body of freezing solution for a frozen bondbetween said receptacle and said support, said expansible cartridgebeing formed of material having relatively low heat conductivity andbond between. said receptacle and said support,

transferring a limited amount of heat from-said body of freezingsolution to said-receptacle for v -a support, a receptacle positioned onsaid supop'erating said expansible cartridge subsequent to congelation0! the contained in-said receptacle.

4. In combination with a cooling unit having a support, a receptaclepositioned on said support and adaptedto contain a substance to be con-'gealed, and means including an expansible cartridge carried by saidreceptacle and containing abodyoffreezingsolutionforbreakingafrwen saidexpansible cartridge being fornied of rial having relatively lowheatconductivity and transferring a limited amoimt of heat from saidbody of solution tosaid support for op-' mflnssaid expansibie cartridget tocongelationofthe substance contained in said 5. In combination .witha cooling unit having a support, a receptacle positioned on said supportand adapted to contain a substance to be congealed, and means includingan expansible cartridge carried by said receptacle and containinga bodyof freezing solution for breaking a frozen bondbetween'said receptacleand said support,

said expansible cartridge being formed of material having relatively lowheat conductivity and transferring a limited amount of heat from saidbody of freezing solution to said receptacle and to said support foroperating said expansibie car tridge subsequent to congelation of thesubtsance contained in said receptacle.

6. In combination with a cooling unit having a support,'a receptaclepositioned on said support 'iusting themosition of said erxpansiblemember with respectto said support.

7. In combination with a cooling unit having a support, a receptaclepositioned on said support and adapted to contain a substance to becongealed. a bracket secured to said receptacle and having a recesstherein, an expansible member arranged in said recess and extending intooperative relationship with said support, means including a body offreezing solution contained in said expansible member for breaking afrozen bondbetw'een said receptacle and said support,-

and means including a sleeve surrounding said expan's ible member forsecuring said ex'pansibiev member in place and for adjusting theposition ofsaid expansible member with respect to said support. v

8. In combination with a cooling unit having port and adapted to containa substance to be congealed, a bracket,securedto said receptacle,

and having a recess'therein, an expansible-member arranged'insaid recessand extending into operative relationship with said support, meansincluding a body of freezing solution contained in said expansiblemember for breaking a frozen bond between said receptacle and saidsupport, and means including" a sleevesurrounding said expansible memberand arrangedin threaded engagement with said recess for securing saidexpanslble member in place and for adiusting the position of said memberwith respect to support.

- f GIORBI

